Advent Begins, Four More Sundays Until Christmas
27/11/2011
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With four weeks until Christmas, the time of preparation leading up to the holiday has begun. Advent is observed on each Sunday of the four Sundays until Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
The word Advent come from the Latin word meaning “coming” and celebrates the coming of the Lord. During each day of Advent, Christians prepare for the “arrival” of the Lord Jesus by recalling the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament that were fulfilled in the first Christmas story.
The theme of readings and teachings during Advent and its purpose is to prepare for the second coming of Jesus while commemorating his first coming. Special readings are prescribed for each of the four Sundays in Advent, while an Advent calendar, primarily used by children, recounts the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem in the days leading to the savior’s birth. Also, a candle on the traditional Advent wreath is lit each Sunday.
In many homes, some Christians mark the beginning of Advent by decorating the house or baking holiday cookies.
No one really knows when the celebration of Advent was first introduced into the Church, but it was originally observed as a time of fasting and penitence. Now its emphasis in the Western churches is usually interpreted as one of expectation and anticipation for the Messiah and a joyous time.
Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches fast 40 days, similar to Lent, rather than like Western churches’ joyous observance of Advent. The Eastern Churches’ equivalent of Advent, the Nativity Fast, is 40 days long and began on Nov. 15, 2011. The Advent season begins on Nov. 27, 2011 and ends on Dec. 24, 2011.
The themes of the Advent season are Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Lighting of candles, especially the circular Advent wreath with five candles is an important tradition of the Advent season. Each Sunday of Advent, one of four candles is lit — with the final candle, the Christ Candle, being lit on Christmas Eve.
